Big Cat Country Q&A: Is it Super Bowl or bust for the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Let’s answer some questions ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener!

Mike from Jacksonville, FL

Q: Can we expect to see Dede Westbrook line up on the outside instead of the slot in certain sets this week?

A: Truthfully, I have no idea what to expect out of this offense. Nobody does. They played a handful of snaps in one preseason game and that’s it. I will say, I believe Westbrook is a primary slot guy. That’s where he succeeds, that’s where his best routes come out of, and that’s what allows him to be Nick Foles’ safety valve. He saw 70 percent of Foles’ targets in the 10 pass attempts of Foles’ preseason and the majority of the time it was Westbrook running out of the slot and playing the possession receiver role. I think that’s what we’ll see from him in Week 1.

Russ from Woodland Hills, CA

Q: Is it Super Bowl or bust this year?

A: No. But I do think a healthy expectation would be to win the division. Is that realistic? Probably not. 10 wins is likely the ceiling for this team. But when you spend like this team did at quarterback and invest so heavily in building a top defense over the years, that has to be the expectation. I think anything less than a playoff berth this year would be a disappointment for the team.

Carl from Jacksonville, FL

Q: Sundays game against Kansas City is forecast to have a high of 95 degrees with a heat index of 110 degrees. Could this be the hottest game in history?

A: It’ll be up there. But don’t forget the humidity. It’s forecast for 55% at this point. For some context, remember that season opener in 2013 when people were having heat strokes in the stands? That was only 85 degrees with the same humidity. If you haven’t started hydrating now, do it. It will be miserable.

Dizzy from Frisco, TX

Q: Do the Jaguars win on Sunday and what’s it going to take for them to win it?

A: I don’t think so because it’s going to take the offense carrying its weight, which I don’t think they can do this early in the season. Just look at last night’s Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears game — both offenses were awful given great weather conditions. Mitch Trubisky isn’t good, but three points? Aaron Rodgers is a surefire Hall of Famer and he had one touchdown drive? Yikes. Last night’s game was discouraging.

Mark from Jacksonville Beach, FL

Q: Why the change at long snapper? Seems a little late in the game and risky.

A: Long snapper is the position in football that requires the least amount of “team chemisty” to succeed and when you have a chance to sign a younger, cheaper guy who can also play another position, you do it.

Chip from Jacksonville, FL

Q: If players get money for the work they put in, why is it that Blake Bortles is getting money while Jalen Ramsey and Yannick Ngakoue are still waiting?

A: In football, you don’t get money for what you did. You get money for what they think you can do. In the case of Bortles, this front office thought he could do just enough to get us back to the AFC Championship and was signed to a mediocre contract (for a quarterback) as a way to test their theory over the next year or two. He crashed and burned and they cut him.

Chevin from Jacksonville, FL

Q: What should be the Jaguars’ blueprint for beating the Chiefs?

A: The same one it was last year — pressure Patrick Mahomes into bad throws. If Mahomes is off his game, and if the offense can score, they have a chance.

Richard from London, UK

Q: Am I crazy to think that Dede Westbrook puts up 1,200+ yards and 8+ touchdowns? And Foles throws 32 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. I think this offense has a chance to be good, eh?

A: You’re a little high. I’d be happy with Westbrook cracking 1,000 yards and 7 touchdowns. Foles, however, will be tasked with not losing games in favor of winning them. I would say a reasonable expectation for Foles would be 3,500 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Blaize from Joplin, MO

Q: Some Chiefs fans have proposed the idea of a trade of Tyreek Hill for Jalen Ramsey straight up. Thoughts?

A: Absolutely not.